Spout construction



April 1968 F. w. PIERSON ETAL 3,379,348

SPOUT CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 5, 1965 INVENTOR.

FRED w. PIERSON FRED w. PIERSON JR.

THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,379,348 SPOUT CONSTRUCTION Fred W. Pierson, and Fred W. Pierson, Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich. (both Richard P. Matthews, 2316 S. Eads St., Arlington, Va. 22202) Filed Nov. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 506,523 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-566) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pouring spout for a molten metal pan having depending legs extending from the top of the spout for scraping the pan and collecting dirt between the legs when the spout is rotated.

This invention relates to an improved spout construction for use in connection with pouring molten metal from distribution pans into molds.

Generally, when it is desired to cast ingots, from molten metal formed or melted in conventional furnaces, the molten metal is conveyed from the furnace by gravity along a trough-defining construction to the particular mold structure. Alternately, the molten metal in the furnace is dispensed into a relatively large ladle and degassed and conveyed therein to the molding apparatus. In order to control the flow of metal properly from the ladle to the molding apparatus, a distribution pan is provided whereby the molten metal is dispensed from the ladle into the pan and from the pan into one or more molds as desired. A preferred form of distribution pan for use in connection with the spout construction of the present invention is that shown in US. Patent No. 3,186,040, issued to Adamo et al.

Whenever molten metal is handled it is important to prevent the occurence of heat loss from the molten metal to the surrounding atmosphere so as to prevent solidification or freeze-up of the metal. One of the features of the spout construction of the present invention is the use of legs on the spout which suspend the spout from the distribution pan, thereby minimizing the transfer of heat from the molten metal to the distribution pan.

Another important consideration in handling molten metal is that of avoiding contamination of the metal by preventing dirt and other foreign matter from getting into the metal at any stage of the operation. It has been found that in securing a tight fit betwen the spout and the distribution pan, it frequently occurs that some dirt or contaminating material is trapped between the spout and the pan with no convenient manner to remove it. For example, it is possible for this to occur by the wearing away of the lining material of the pan and the spout material itself. The present invention overcomes this problem by the use of a plurality of legs which provide a discontinuous surface on the spout whereby the spout may be rotated to cause particles of dirt, lining material and the like to be removed from between the legs of the spout through the aperture in the distribution pan prior to pouring molten metal therein.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved spout construction for use in connection with pouring molten metal from distribution pans into molds in which lower heat losses occur in handling the molten metal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spout construction for molten metal which will permit dirt to be removed from the region of the connection between the spout and the distribution pan after the spout is in position.

These and other objects of the present invention will Patented Apr. 23, 1968 become apparent upon reference to the detailed description in the specification and the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view in cross section of a spout and pan construction;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view in cross section of the spout and pan construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of a spout made in accordance with this invention; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view partly in cross section taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a spout is indicated generally at 10 and a distribution pan indicated generally at 12. Reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 discloses that the distribution pan 12 has a pair of side walls 14 and a bottom wall 16 which support an insulating material 18. A continuous length of copper tubing 20, such as copper tubing or the like, is coiled about the side walls 14 of the distribution pan 12 and is disposed in intimate contact therewith. A suitable coolant may be passed through the tubing 20 to absorb the heat of the metal shell and thus prevent adverse expansion thereof during the period when molten metal is being distributed by the distribution pan 12.

The distribution pan 12 is disclosed to have an aperture 22 through which passes a tubular body portion 24 of the spout 10. The spout is further provided with a thickened end portion indicated generally at 26. The thickened end portion 26 has an upper portion 28 of constant diameter and a plurality of legs 30 subtended therefrom. The spout 10 is chamfered at 32 to provide an easy entrance of the molten metal into the spout.

The upper portion 28 of constant diameter of thickened tubular end portion 26 provides a continuous peripheral surface to which is applied a cement (not shown) so as to seal the spout to the lining 18 in distribution pan 12. The sealant is applied to approximately the top %-iI1Ch of the thickened tubular end portion 26 so that it remains possible to remove the spout by breaking this seal, Another important feature is that it has been found that a little bit of dirt frequently becomes lodged on the seat of the bottom wall 16 adjacent aperture 22. It is important to keep this dirt from contaminating the molten metal. With the structure provided by the legs 30 at the upper portion 28 of spout 10 it is possible to rotate the spout 10 when it is in position but prior to being tightly adhesively sealed to the lining 18 of the distribution pan 12 and thereby eject the particles of dirt and the like so as to cause them to fall through the aperture 22 of the distribution pan 12.

An additional advantage of the spout construction of the present invention is that by suspending the spout 10 via legs 30 above aperture 22, there is less transfer of heat from the molten metal within the distribution pan 12 to the bottom wall 16 of the distribution pan.

While the distribution pan 12 has been depicted with only a single aperture 22, it is possible for any number of apertures to be provided in the distribution pan as is more fully disclosed in the Adamo et al. Patent 3,186,040. A preferred material both for spout 10 and lining 18 of the distribution pan 12 is amorphous silica.

While the distribution pan 12 has been depicted with been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A spout for pouring molten metal comprising a tubular body having a constant thickness for the major portion of its length and a thickened tubular end portion, said tubular body having an opening in the top thereof extending to the bottom thereof, said thickened tubular end portion having an upper portion of constant diameter, and a plurality of legs subtended therefrom,

the bottoms of said legs being coplanar to enable said thickened tubular end portion of said spout to be suspended adjacent an aperture in a molten metal distribution pan with the body portion of the spout extending through the aperture, said upper portion of constant diameter providing a continuous cylindrical peripheral surface adapted to be sealed to a lining in the molten metal distribution pan and said plurality of legs providing a discontinuous surface whereby said spout may be rotated to cause particles of dirt and the like to move between the legs of the spout and to fall through the aperture in the distribution pan prior to pouring molten metal into the distribution pan.

2. A spout for pouring molten metal as defined in 4 claim 1 wherein said spout is made from amorphous silica.

3. A spout for pouring molten metal as defined in claim 1, wherein said thickened tubular end portion has four legs subtended from its upper portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,072,972 9/1913 Michaels 222567 1,944,611 1/1934 Reinartz et al. 164-337 2,098,937 11/1937 Brinkman 222566 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

